Royal Albartross Driver Shoe

The Royal Albartross Driver is designed to be a high-end, luxurious leather hybrid shoe that performs well on the course as well as in everyday life.  If the price tag seems a bit intimidating, keep in mind that these shoes are handmade in Portugal using fine Italian leathers.  Just by opening the box you can tell the Driver is a quality-made shoe with the very best materials, but what we really care about is how well they get the job done on the course.

The Looks

Currently, the Royal Albartross Driver is available in both a navy and a brown colorway.  Both versions come with a white midsole and an orange “Apex sole” that is designed to have the durability required to standup to elements OFF the golf course.  Surfaces like concrete can be a nightmare for your typical rubber sole.  As mentioned earlier, Royal Albartross used fine Italian leathers on these shoes and it really shows.  “Rich” is the best way to describe the appearance of the leather in each colorway and the quality really jumps out at you visually.

In terms of overall appearance, the Driver doesn’t look like a typical spikeless golf shoe.  The look is definitely more “European driving shoe” and less “athletic sneaker with some grip.”  I think this is a more appealing option for traditionalists that like a classic leather golf shoe.  That said, the Driver is far from out of place on the golf course.  It’s also a nice business casual option that leans more toward the business side.  If you wore the Driver into the office, you would not look inappropriately dressed at all.  I hate being “this guy” in a review, but so far every time I’ve worn them, I’ve gotten a lot of questions and compliments from playing partners and/or co-workers.

Comfort Level

The Driver is a comfortable shoe, but fit is crucial.  You HAVE to make sure you get the right size.  One of the comfort components that Royal Albartross touts is the spacious toe box.  I have pretty standard width feet and I would put the Driver on the more narrow side of standard, including the toe box.  Please let me be clear, I’m not saying the Driver has a super narrow hit.  Out of the box, the Driver is a bit snug and form fitting.  Let’s remember, however, this is premium Italian leather on this shoe.  Over time that leather is going to break in based on your foot and will “move” accordingly.  That said, if you have a wider foot, I’m not sure if the Driver will stretch a whole “width size” at this point.

Two things I want to point out about the driver are the breathability and the weight.  The Driver has a strong (I’m hesitant to say “stiff”) leather upper and you can see there isn’t really any venting.  This caused me to believe the Driver could be a somewhat toasty shoe in this Summer heat.  The reality was that I found the Driver to be perfectly cool and comfortable to wear over a hot 18-hole round.  Adding to that comfort is the lighter weight of the midsole and outsole.  Knowing a good leather can add some extra weight, Royal Albartross was smart to make sure the rest of the components countered that to keep the shoe lightweight.

On-Course Performance

When spikeless golf shoes are designed to be a true hybrid shoe, I generally feel there has to be a sacrifice somewhere.  It typically ends up where the shoe is either a solid street shoe and just an ok golf shoe.  Obviously the other side of the coin being it’s a good golf shoe, but not as good on the streets.  In the case of the Royal Albartross Driver, I found it to be pretty good for golf but it’s stronger off the course, however, there’s a caveat.  For me, it came down to the shoe’s traction in slippery conditions.  The caveat is that this could be a non-issue for you depending on your swing.  Personally, need a little bit more grip.  I believe a smoother-swinging player with better balance may experience zero issues with grip.

That said, the Driver has one of the best “walking around” soles I’ve had in a spikeless golf shoe.  Because the Driver has a more “normal” sole, walking around on concrete is much more realistic.  It just feels like a normal shoe as opposed to something with slippery nubs on it.  In my mind, the Driver is the perfect shoe to wear all day at the office, then to get a quick round in after work.

There’s just enough cushion in the Driver’s midsole to be comfortable, but it’s generally pretty firm.  I like that there’s enough firmness for a strong foundation and good ground feedback.  That feedback plus the secure fit mentioned before makes for more reliable balance in most lies.

Final Thoughts

At a high level, the Royal Albartross Driver is an extremely well-made shoe of the highest quality.  Holding them in your hand, they certainly have an impressive “wow” factor that screams premium.  Flat out, they’re just really slick looking shoes.  I feel like I’m more important just owning a pair!  Yes, the pricing is pretty high for a spikeless golf shoe, but the materials and craftsmanship justify it.  Like I said earlier, I could use a little more grip on the course but the Driver still got the job done and is a great “street-to-course” option.

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